Women show off 'carrywear' at NRA's Concealed Carry fashion show with concealed weapon slots in bags and undergarments
Fashion design brands have recently revealed that more women in the US are buying firearms now to protect themselves but were finding it hard to conceal the weapons within their wardrobe. In a bid to change that, the National Rifle Association (NRA) was in Indianapolis on April 27 and some designers used members of the audience to showcase how easy it is to conceal a firearm now.
Anna Taylor, the woman who founded concealed carry fashion brand Dene Adams, told CBS4Indy: "There's an 'A-ha' moment, and a very empowering moment when you can handle a firearm. It removes all the fear. When I got into concealed carry six years ago, I couldn’t find anything safe or practical."
Dozens of models walked on the runway for a women's concealed carry fashion show that took place at the War Memorial in downtown Indianapolis on April 27 night. The show revealed that gun holsters could now be hidden inside purses or in tactical undergarments made for sweaters or dresses.
Many of the designers who were there to present their brands started their line of work due to violent life experiences that they underwent before. Dawn Hillyer founded the brand Hiding Hilda and named it after the pistol that she learned to carry with her at all times. She had named the weapon Hilda.
Hillyer told the outlet that a man had stalked her for five whole years before he was finally arrested. It was this traumatic experience that forced her to start carrying a weapon, even though her workplace wouldn't allow it. She said that she had struggled to find ways to hide her precious Hilda.
Speaking of her stalker, Hillyer said: "I couldn’t walk out of my house without thinking today might be the day. It's very uncomfortable when you first start concealing. You feel like everybody knows you have a firearm." The woman also said that more women are currently joining the movement to carry a weapon. She added that while the number of people who attend gun shows is on the decline, the number of women who attend these shows is on the rise.
All 50 states in the country have laws that regulate concealed carry permits, however, some of the states make it more difficult than others to get these permits. Legislators are working to make it easier for those with the concealed carry permits to carry the same weapons across state lines. They have reportedly been trying to push the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2019 to Congress and this means that the states will have to recognize concealed carry permits the same way drivers licenses are recognized, The Slot reported.
For the moment, concealed weapon handbags and underwear only get an opportunity to be seen once a year on the runway. If the act passes in the future, however, "carrywear" will be as normal as New York Fashion Weeks.